Contact member for disc-shaped electrode connections



J. JONGSMA Jan. 10, 1956 CONTACT MEMBER FOR DISC-SHAPED ELECTRODE CONNECTIONS Filed March 18, 1953 INVENTOR JAN JONGSMA AGENT CONTACT MEMBER FOR DISC-SHARED ELECTRODE CONNECTIONS Jan Jongsma, Eindhoveu, Netherlands, assignor to Hartford National Bank and Trust Company, Hartford, Conn., as trustee Application March 18, 1953, Serial No. 343,201

Claims priority, application Netherlands April 10, 1952 2 Claims. (Cl. 339-456) The invention relates to a contact member for connecting a flat disc-shaped electrode connection of an electric discharge tube to a primarily flat metal wall, for example that of a cavity resonator or a hollow wave guide.

If tubes of the aforesaid kind are to be connected by way of their disc-shaped connections to a flat wall, it does not sufiice to provide a hole in this wall, the edge of which overlaps slightly the edge of the disc-shaped connection. Then the contact is, in general, insufiicient. This contact is improved by providing a number of cuts, extending radially from this hole in the flat wall. Thus a number of contact springs is formed. This has a limitation in that the cuts in the flat wall may operate as coupling slits between the spaces above and below the flat wall. An amplifier provided with such a contact member may then exhibit an excessively small bandwidth or may even start oscillating.

According to the invention a flexible diaphragm of good conductivity is provided with the contact member for connecting a flat, disc-shaped electrode connection of an electric discharge tube to a substantially fiat metal wall, in which a number of cuts extending radially from a cylindrical hole in the contact member is provided, this diaphragm being arranged between the fiat disc-shaped connection and the contact member and covering completely the cuts in the latter.

It is thus ensured that the cuts can no longer operate as coupling slits. The electrical contact is satisfactory and the contact member is not engaged so rigidly that the electron tube is exposed to great risks of being damaged.

In order that the invention may be readily carried into effect, it will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a sectional view of a contact member taken on'the axis of the discharge tube and nited States Patent 2,730,692 Patented Jan. 10, 1956 Fig. 2 is a plan view of the contact member on the side of the radial cuts.

Referring to the figures, reference numeral 1 designates the metal wall of brass of 4 mm. in thickness, to which the discharge tube is to be secured. A metal disc 2, soldered 14 in an aperture in the wall 1, has a thinner central section provided with a number of spurs in the form of radial contact springs 3 of brass of 1 mm. in thickness. With the use of a cylindrical metal ring 4 and four rivets 15, a slightly corrugated, flexible diaphragm 5 of silverplated nickel of 0.2 mm. in thickness is clamped to the member 2. The ends 6 of the contact springs 3 are slightly thickened and press against the inner side of the diaphragm 5. The diaphragm 5 may also be soldered to the member 2. The cup-shaped cathode connection of the electric discharge tube is designated by '1', the discshaped grid connection by 8 and the anode connection by 9. Glass cylinders 10 and 11 are provided between these three connections. A protection 12 for the exhaust tube and connecting pins 13 complete the drawing. The rigid contact springs 3 urge the flexible diaphragm 5 against the circular edge of the grid connection 8 and a satisfactory contact is ensured throughout the circumference, since the flexible diaphragm 5 can follow unevennesses of the connection 8.

What I claim is:

1. A device for securing a fiat disc-shaped electrode connection of an electric discharge tube to a substantially flat metal wall having a circular aperture, said device comprising a flat metal contact member having a central aperture and a plurality of radial slots extending outwardly from said aperture defining a plurality of resilient elements, said member being mounted on said wall in the aperture therein, and a solid flexible diaphragm constituted of a metal of good electrical conductivity and having a central aperture therein, said diaphragm being mounted in said aperture in said wall and underlying said contact member and closely adjacent thereto so as to completely cover the slots therein, said apertures in said contacts member and diaphragm being aligned with each other.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the diaphragm is slightly corrugated, and the ends of the resilient elements adjacent the aperture having enlarged portions.

Spencer Sept. 6, 1949 Page May 8, 1951 

